New Dungeons and Dragons books, Heroes of Faerun and Adventures in Faerunthey are just around the corner. Part of the ongoing fifth edition rules update for the tabletop role-playing game, these new books bring with them eight new subclasses. While these new Dungeons and Dragons subclasses are powerful additions to the game that players are sure to enjoy experimenting with, the distribution shows a clear preference for one particular playstyle.
The new Dungeons and Dragons subclasses are clearly leaning towards magic
Eight of Dungeons and Dragons' twelve classes receive a new subclass Heroes of Faerun: Bard, Cleric, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer and Wizard. Right off the bat, the dominance of magic is clear; the game's two melee-focused classes, Barbarian and Monk, were omitted entirely. Yes, Druid and Warlock, the other two neglected classes, use magic, but the distribution is still uneven..
While the final versions of the abilities, spells, and skills that the new subclasses will have access to have yet to be revealed, early versions of the game's tests accessible through the Unearthed Arcana system give an idea of what's to come. Notably, several classes that often don't focus on magic get heavily magic-based subclasses in the new books:
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The Winter Walker Ranger gains several ice-based spells, a wisdom-based healing ability, and a transformation ability linked to the Hunter's Mark spell.
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A Scion of the Three Rogue gains cantrips based on whether they swear allegiance to Bane, Bhaal, or Myrkul, fear-inducing abilities based on Wisdom saves, and a supernatural aura.
The addition of the magic-based Rogue and Ranger subclasses is an odd choice, especially since Rogue already had two magical subclasses in Arcane Trickster and Soulknife. While not as overtly magical as the previous two, the Scion of the Three still favors magic over stealth. Swashbuckler, a popular Rogue subclass recently introduced as a component Baldur's Gate 3 Patch 8 is still notably absent from the 2024 rules update in a form other than Unearthed Arcana, which disappointed some fans.
The addition of Bladesinger, which gives the wizard some melee abilities, softens the magical focus of the new subclasses somewhat. However, it's still true that out of the eight, the Banneret Fighter is the only class that isn't fully or partially magic focused.
Banneret is a disappointing replacement for Purple Dragon Knight
Initially, fans of the Fighter subclass believed they would be included Heroes of Faerun was a Purple Dragon Knight, a rider who shares a strong bond with the Amethyst Dragon. The subclass was unique and provided the user with a dragon companion to deploy in battle. It was particularly popular Baldur's Gate 3 fans because it reminded them of Lae'zel's companion, who wants to become a dragon rider (albeit with a red horse rather than an amethyst) and can potentially achieve that dream.
However, when the eight subclasses were finally announced, the Purple Dragon Knight was replaced by the Banneret. Banneret is a much more general subclass focused on defense and support, with abilities including:
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Skill in persuasion
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Ability to heal nearby allies with Second Wind
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Inspire nearby allies to attack more.
Between the absence of Barbarian and Monk, the magical focus of Rangers and Rogues, and the relatively generic nature of Banneret, Heroes of Faerun The subclass seems to tell a clear story: magic is king and melee is secondary. Adding to the deficiency Baldur's Gate 3 Despite Wizards of the Coast's frequent advertising of this connection, the result is a somewhat disappointing set of subclasses that appeal primarily to players interested in creating magic-based characters. While the books are still exciting new content, the subclasses included could have offered more variety rather than relying so heavily on magic at every opportunity.
- Franchise
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Dungeons & Dragons
- Original release date
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1974
- Designer
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E. Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson
